What is a touch bar on a MacBook? The Touch Bar is the only innovation in the new MacBook Pro
When describing the design, we paid a lot of attention to the main innovation of the model: the Touch Bar touch panel above the keyboard. But it is important that this is not only a hardware, but also a software solution. Moreover, the effectiveness of its use directly depends on the software and settings. In this article, we decided to look at the Touch Bar in all aspects and talk about the panel from the point of view of its application in various use scenarios.
First, some general information. So, Touch Bar is an OLED touch panel found in the 13-inch and 15-inch 2016 MacBook Pro models. Touch Bar resolution is 2170x60. The panel replaces the top row of keys and can display various information- depending on the running application, user settings and actions.
Needless to say, the panel can only fully function in macOS Sierra and only if the specific application is optimized for use with the Touch Bar. Of course, all pre-installed macOS applications have this optimization, but third-party developers can also use its functionality. In particular, we will look at how this is implemented in Microsoft Office.
In order to take screenshots with the Touch Bar, you need to install the current beta version of macOS Sierra. Any user can do this by registering in the Apple program, but you must be prepared for the fact that the MacBook Pro will quickly discharge.
To the right of the Touch Bar is the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. It is physically separate from the Touch Bar and is not part of it, but when we open the lid of the laptop, the Touch Bar displays the words “Unlock with Touch ID” and an arrow pointing to Touch ID.
As we noted in the first article, the MacBook Pro 2016 is the first Apple laptop with a fingerprint scanner. And its support first appeared in macOS Sierra. Below we will tell you how to use this feature on your MacBook.
Touch ID
So, when we first turn on and initially set up the MacBook, we are prompted to add a fingerprint.
The procedure is the same as for iPhone/iPad. We put our finger on the scanner several times, and the screen shows how the gray grooves are filled with red.
Once a fingerprint is added, you can add another finger and also specify what types of operations Touch ID can be used for. In addition to unlocking your Mac, this can include use with Apple Pay and confirmation of purchases from the iTunes Store and Mac App Store.
Touch Bar: Standard Options
Now let's return to the Touch Bar itself. We have already seen what the panel shows before unlocking the computer. And this is what we see by default after unlocking. The screenshot shows the right side. On the left there is only the Esc button, between it and the one shown in the screenshot there is black space. The original screenshot is available by clicking.
So, on the right is the Siri call button. Starting with Sierra, macOS supports Siri, and Apple immediately decided to make its launch as clear as possible. Moreover, during operation you often press this button by accident, because previously the volume up button was located in this place. And it turns out that we are being deliberately pushed to use Siri, willy-nilly.
The remaining icons do not need comments. Except for the arrow. If you touch it, a row will open touch buttons, identical to what we see on the top row of a traditional MacBook keyboard. Here is a screenshot divided into two halves: at the top is the left part, below is the right.
The decision seems quite controversial, firstly, to make this view not the main one, but accessible only after touching the small arrow (hit it again!), and secondly, to leave the Siri call icon in this row. However, if desired, all this can be configured. We will tell you exactly how later.
Touch Bar in apps
Now let's see how the Touch Bar works in applications. Again, if the application is not optimized for the Touch Bar, the bar will always display what is shown above. However, with its pre-installed apps, Apple has naturally made sure that each one actually takes advantage of the Touch Bar's capabilities. For example, Safari. The screenshots below show fragments of Touch Bar screenshots, but the original screenshot is available by clicking.
As we can see, thumbnails of open tabs are displayed here. You can move between them simply by swiping your finger. Comfortable? Perhaps. On the other hand, I can’t say that it’s very clear - the thumbnails are too tiny, and they don’t always allow you to understand which site is which. And switching between tabs in the usual ways is no more difficult. But it's certainly a spectacular opportunity.
Another useful thing on this panel in Safari is “search” and “open new tab”.
The panel may also change depending on what is open in the browser. For example, if a video is playing there, the video navigation panel appears.
And here we come to understand the main quality of the Touch Bar: it is complete variability, that is, in one application there can be an infinite number of Touch Bar options. Everything depends solely on the imagination of the developers. The main question is that the functionality of the panel complements, and does not duplicate, the already easily accessible application options.
A good option is in the “Calendar”. There, you can easily switch between different weeks using the Touch Bar.
Less successfully done in text editors Pages and Word. The problem is that, for example, marking a piece of text in italics is much more convenient simply with the mouse, because we select this piece with the mouse. It turns out that in order to use the Touch Bar, we first need to make some kind of gesture with the mouse, then drop it, press the button on the Touch Bar, then grab the mouse again.
In general, despite the fact that the capabilities of the Touch Bar in text editors are very wide, in fact it turns out that you either need to relearn and get used to completely new movements while working, or simply perceive the Touch Bar as some kind of optional addition that we, maybe , someday we’ll use it purely for fun, but for now we’ll do it the old fashioned way - with a mouse and keyboard.
This applies not only to text editors, but also to most other applications. For example, QuickTime Player.
Yes, we see a pause button, but in order to pause the video, just press the space bar on your keyboard.
And this is the main problem of the Touch Bar concept and the main challenge for developers: how to make using the Touch Bar intuitive and simpler than the usual keyboard shortcuts and mouse commands? It is clear that a lot here depends on Apple itself, because it is necessary to set an example for third-party developers to show that the Touch Bar can really be used intelligently. And there are such examples. We have already given several examples and we can give more.
Let's say Pages has word suggestions that pop up. This is exactly the option that is impossible, or at least impractical, without a touch screen, and the Touch Bar is just right for its implementation.
Setting up the Touch Bar
The Touch Bar can be customized to suit you, not only in general, but also for each application separately. General settings can be accessed through Settings/Keyboard.
You may notice that the “Configure Control Strip” button has appeared there. This is exactly what you need for Touch settings Bar. At the top you can also specify what should be displayed by default on the panel.
Control Strip are standard icons on the right side of the Touch Bar. An extended version of the Control Strip opens if you click on the arrow. But if you don't want to do this regularly, you can set the extended Control Strip to show immediately.
So, click “Customize Control Strip” and we see a window with icons, and above them there is the inscription: “Drag frequently used objects to the Touch Bar at the bottom of the screen.” Actually, from this it is already clear how exactly we can replace any icon on the Touch Bar with another. Just take the mouse you need and drag it down to the edge of the screen, after which it “jumps” to the Touch Bar and shakes there, like on iOS after a long press.
There is quite a large selection here. There are also useful things. For example, “Screenshot”, “Sleep”, Launchpad, “Show desktop”, “Do not disturb”... So don’t miss the opportunity to create the optimal set.
Thus, outside of applications, we have two levels of Touch Bar customization: the first level - what is displayed by default, the second level - what is the composition of the Control Strip (regular and extended options). But in addition to this, you can also customize the composition of Touch Bar icons in individual applications. For example, below is how this is done in Safari. In the “View” menu we see the line: “Customize the Touch Bar.”
Click on it - and we see a window similar to the Control Strip settings window, but with a set of icons directly for the browser. Well, then we proceed according to the familiar scheme: drag the necessary icons with the mouse and pin them to the desired place in the Touch Bar.
Therefore, software developers must take care not only about the fact of using the Touch Bar, but also about the options for customizing the panel within their application and choosing additional icons. That is, on the one hand, there must be a clear relationship between user actions and the icons that appear on the Touch Bar, and on the other hand, the initial set can be adjusted by the user.
conclusions
Touch Bar is one of the main innovations in recent years. This is a very interesting and promising solution that can significantly expand the user’s interaction with the laptop and make it easier to perform a number of tasks. Hypothetically. In practice, a lot depends on how the Touch Bar functionality is implemented in a particular application and how easy or difficult it is for the user to customize it and start using it in real life.
We can't say that the Touch Bar is really useful yet. And expecting your productivity to increase if you upgrade from a previous generation MacBook Pro to a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar would be reckless. And if you consider that most third-party software manufacturers have not yet managed to optimize their applications for the Touch Bar, there is no need to be under any illusions. But, at the same time, the idea itself seems very promising, its implementation is as competent as it can be in real conditions, and the prospects are impressive, given that Apple has already demonstrated more than once how it can convince the entire industry of the need to implement those or other innovations. Will it work this time?
The Apple MacBook Pro (Late 2016) deserves our Original Design Award for its innovative Touch Bar and the deep integration of this hardware element into the laptop's software.
The Touch Bar is a dedicated touchpad included with the 2016 MacBook Pro. This component has radically revolutionized the way we use laptops.
Main materials
If you don't pay attention to the details, it was just a normal speed bump, especially since the MacBook Pro's performance has increased noticeably. Same design, same body colors, same four -C connectors, same time battery life. None of the MBP's most attractive features have been sacrificed – no matter what. And this was a real miracle, because it was impossible to do without victims.
Despite the butterfly III keyboard, which is flawed but still resistant to most types of smudges, and the lack of a physical Escape key, and a whole host of other progress birthmarks, the new little Pro was fantastically good.
In 2016, Apple seriously updated the MacBook Pro line, adding the Touch Bar. Initially, this idea seemed like a win-win - the user received an additional screen with which they could directly interact with applications. However, even four years later, Touch Bar has not gained sufficient popularity among users. The greatest dissatisfaction among MacBook Pro owners is the fact that the Touch Bar has completely replaced function keys. Apart from everything else, the Touch Bar is absolutely useless in Windows 10 and other operating systems. At least that's how it was until now.
A lot of money and tens of thousands of hours of skilled labor were spent on developing the internal iOS device for some of the Macs, but was the game worth the candle? Those who write good things about the Touch Bar could get paid for it, even if not everyone. There are also those who are truly, sincerely, delighted with the “touch bar”. The Touch Bar is implemented flawlessly. The developers successfully overcame all the non-trivial obstacles that confronted them. There are no complaints about the implementation. Engineers, technical managers, designers, testers - as always - turned out to be at their best.
If you think that this is just an upgrade to a laptop that has been around for a long time and is almost boring to everyone, I am at a loss to guess what, in your opinion, innovations in a laptop should be so that they can be considered revolutionary. But whether revolutionary innovations are good or not is another question. It would be much more interesting if they taught the MacBook Pro to read minds and guess desires. Or they could place the keyboard on the back of the screen, for example. Alas. They are not crazy, and have never (no matter what they say about them) been crazy.
Strictly speaking, the Apple T1 ran bridgeOS, which is based on - but do you remember what watchOS is based on? Even more interesting is the source of information. Chief among them is Apple itself. Suddenly? The Apple T1 is much better known than other chips developed by Apple. Although, in theory, it was this chip, directly related to security, that should have become Apple’s worst secret. Paradox?
In 2016, Apple seriously updated the MacBook Pro, adding a new element to it - . According to the company's idea, the touch panel was supposed to simplify access to various functions, but for many users the appearance of the Touch Bar was not a revelation. On the contrary, this design element is criticized to this day. But can the Touch Bar be truly useful in everyday use?
At the beginning of December, a new Macbook Pro with a Touch Bar instead of a number of function buttons went on sale in Russia. The announcement of the laptop caused a wide discussion among journalists and users - the convenience of the touch panel for operation, the lack of variety of ports and the new keyboard were discussed.
The site's chief editor spent a week with the new Apple laptop, learned the opinions of other computer owners and shared with readers his experience of working on a Macbook Pro with Touch Bar.
Too much innovation
It's fashionable to criticize Apple now. It has turned into the largest corporation in the world, while remaining as closed as 20 years ago, its products are much more expensive than competitors, and yet continue to be in demand. There are many reasons for discussion.
The reasons are different and sometimes even contradictory. After the presentation of the iPhone 7, the company was criticized for presenting too few innovations - they just showed an improved iPhone version 6s. After the presentation of the Macbook Pro, the situation was the opposite - they said that the technology had become too good, and Apple no longer knew what to do, and was adding innovation for the sake of innovation.
There really is a problem with the laptop segment. There have been no breakthrough solutions in this market for a long time. Individual elements have been improved - screen, processor, etc. But it's still a device with a keyboard, trackpad, and display cover. In addition, the demand for laptops is gradually falling - many users who only need Internet access and work with documents prefer tablets. They are cheaper, more compact and often more convenient.
However, Macbook Pro buyers are unlikely to be able to replace it with a tablet. The laptop remains the primary work tool for developers, designers and engineers - those who need productivity and a convenient environment for creating content.
Microsoft has taken the path of developing a universal device that will replace a laptop, tablet and smartphone. Apple believes that it is impossible to combine different user experiences in one device and continues to work in parallel in several directions at once: smartphones, computers and tablets.
At the same time, Apple engineers often borrow individual solutions from neighboring divisions. This is how the Retina screen appeared on the Macbook, an external keyboard appeared on the iPad Pro, Siri appeared on macOS, and multitasking mode appeared on iOS.
Now Apple engineers have built a touchpad with an adaptive touch interface into the Macbook Pro - a solution likely recommended by colleagues from the iPad division.
Frame
Macbook Pro received a new case. It has become thinner, the mechanism for attaching the lid to the screen has changed, the speakers have moved to the front panel, and the ventilation holes have moved to back cover. And, unfortunately, the Apple logo no longer lights up.
Screen
Apple says the new Macbook Pro has the best screen in Mac history. In addition to the standard improvements to backlight brightness, contrast and power efficiency, it features an expanded color gamut for the first time. In practice, this means that the display can now display more colors - especially for designers and photographers.
Owners of the new Macbook Pro see the silhouette of the Safari icon in this picture
Keyboard
The keyboard is now similar to the one installed in the 12-inch - thin, with larger keys and a butterfly mechanism instead of a membrane.
Second generation keyboard with butterfly mechanism. The area of the buttons has become larger - it is more difficult to miss when printing. Side effect - you relax and start to miss the mark on old keyboards
I switched to the Macbook Pro from a Macbook, so I already went through the onboarding process. In the new Macbook Pro, the sound of pressing a key is reminiscent of mechanical keyboards, while the tactile sensations are completely different - they have minimal travel.
The trackpad is now gigantic
Ports
The new Macbook Pro has four USB-C ports and one headphone jack. Here I am of the completely unpopular opinion that it was entirely possible to leave only two USB-C.
For example, in the editorial office I always have one adapter connected to three connectors: USB, HDMI for an external monitor and USB-C for charging. In the office, I only connect it to my laptop and get to work right away. That's it, I don't need anything else.
It's high time to understand - every time
Macbooks will have fewer and fewer ports
However, don't expect the next generation Macbook Pro to feature a Lightning connector. On the contrary, the company will likely ditch any headphone ports in favor of wireless technologies. So get ready.
Touch Bar
Touch Bar is the most interesting innovation of the Macbook Pro. Everyone I've discussed the new laptop with agrees that most of the F1-F12 buttons are a useless piece of plastic and something had to be done to solve this problem. In rare applications they are used for quick access to functions, but have not received mass distribution. In addition, on macOS they are not so easy to use: by default, to call a function from the top row of buttons, you need to hold down the Fn key.
In total, there are five keys out of 13 that we use most often - changing the sound, screen brightness and Escape. Apple's solution: remove all the keys and replace them with the Touch Bar. The main question is: how justified is this step?
Touch ID is a physical button with a built-in fingerprint scanner
In its place
The vast majority of programs - both on Windows and macOS - have been designed the same way for 20 years. A large area, occupying more than 90 percent of the window, is intended for working with content; at the top, closer to the line of sight, there is a thin strip of the most popular tools.
For example, text editor. We type letters using the keyboard, and use the trackpad to edit text. If you follow the movement of your hands, it turns out that your palm moves down from the keyboard - in order to find the cursor, then the desired button in the menu - and then back to the keyboard. This hand movement when working does not correspond to how the elements are located on the screen. But over the two decades of existence of graphical operating systems, everyone has gotten used to it.
Program interface on macOS
The solution for professional users who do not want to waste time searching for control functions using the cursor is shortcut keys. “Fast” - because you can perform an action faster than using a cursor. In this case, the user does not need a trackpad at all when working with text - all interaction takes place here, on the keyboard.
A side effect of keyboard shortcuts is a high entry barrier. To use shortcuts effectively, you must first train the user. Not just teach, but force to learn by heart - so that muscle memory is developed when typing. From the point of view of an interface designer, this is real hell.
Here it is necessary to mention the level of minimalism and intuitiveness that mobile interfaces have now reached. Everyone is already accustomed to the fact that control functions are in front of their eyes, and the process of teaching the user the interface (the so-called onboarding) consists of three screens with beautiful pictures or is completely absent.
What Apple engineers did: they moved the control area in the program header and placed its main functions above the keyboard. That is, now interaction with tools corresponds to how they are located on the screen. In theory, it's more intuitive. In addition, the average user will be able to immediately take advantage of the benefits that keyboard shortcuts provide to professionals.
The Touch Bar is not designed to replace function buttons. It's designed to get rid of keyboard shortcuts.
Apple has already tested this approach in . The Magic Keyboard does not have a number of function buttons and Escape, and when it is connected, a toolbar appears at the bottom of the tablet screen, which contains the main functions. Probably, the experiment showed its worth and the company decided to transfer this experience to the Macbook Pro.
While writing my review of the Macbook Pro, I remembered that the iPad Pro also lacks a number of function buttons. When using the tablet you don’t remember them at all
Esc button is in the wrong place
The Escape button on the Touch Bar, for some reason, is located to the right of its usual place. However, this does not cause the problems that journalists feared after the presentation: that with a “blind” click, users would constantly miss the mark.
Upon closer examination of the Touch Bar, you can see that it is simply impossible to move it to the left - the screen ends before the touch panel. There are probably technical limitations.
At the same time, the entire Touch Bar area is touch sensitive - if you “blindly” press the place where Escape should be, it still works.
Blind pressing is a real challenge for Macbook Pro owners. You mechanically press the place where the physical Escape button should be, you see the action on the screen, but you don’t get any physical feedback.
The first few days, after pressing the Touch Bar, the finger automatically goes down and presses the “±” key - it thinks that it missed. By the way, unlearning this movement turned out to be not so difficult. The habit of pressing “blindly” on Escape has been preserved, it’s just that now you don’t expect a backlash from it. The new keyboard, in which the buttons practically do not protrude above the surface of the laptop, also helps you get used to it.
The Escape button also adapts to user actions. For example, if you enable video playback in full screen, the exit full-screen mode icon will appear instead of Esc. And when taking a screenshot, the “Cancel” button takes the place of Escape.
You can adjust the sound with one click
The new Macbook Pro lacks physical volume buttons. Although, for example, they are in the iPhone and iPad. This is the main pain point of the Touch Bar.
A typical scenario: you’re sitting in the office with headphones on, and a colleague starts saying something to you. You reach for the third button from the right and quickly press it several times. With the new Macbook Pro, this behavior will have to be abandoned.
The place for volume control remains the same - you can reach it “blindly”. But quick presses won't change anything. When you tap on the Touch Bar, a slider appears to change the volume level. This decision was most often criticized in reviews by Western journalists.
It's so inconvenient that over time I started using the mouse to pause the song or turn up the volume. Apple has once again changed the way I do things, but this time not for the better. This drives me nuts.
- Engadget journalist
However, I'm using a different script that only involves one click. You can hold your finger on the sound icon and a volume slider will appear. Then, without lifting your finger, you can swipe left to decrease the sound, right to make it louder. The same applies to screen brightness control buttons.
A program where the benefits of the Touch Bar are beyond doubt is the built-in macOS Mail. In typical scenarios for interacting with emails, the touchpad turned out to be more convenient for me than keyboard shortcuts and a trackpad.
For example, I’m used to using a trackpad to send, but in the Macbook Pro, I just need to click once on the “Sending” icon that appears. After a couple of days of actively using Mail, my fingers remembered its location and learned to press it “blindly”.
Other functions are similar - “Archive”, “Reply to all”, “Forward”. Actions that previously took me a few seconds can now be accomplished instantly.
Hand movement when writing a letter using a keyboard and trackpad:
Hand movement when writing a letter using the keyboard and Touch Bar:
Safari
In most cases, all the icons on the Touch Bar are black and white and they practically blend in color with the keyboard keys - which does not distract from work. However, when you open Safari, the panel “hits” your eyes with bright icons of sites saved in your favorites. Whether you like it or not, you start using it to go to sites from your bookmarks.
The Touch Bar display is made using AMOLED technology, so only the buttons glow at night, not the entire screen
In Safari, the Touch Bar allows you to switch between tabs using a swipe or tap on the page thumbnail, there is an icon to go to the address bar (instead of Cmd + L), back and forward buttons (instead of Option + arrow).
You can place any of the preset elements on the Touch Bar. Each application that supports Touch Bar has its own elements
I was still unable to wean myself from switching between tabs using a cursor within a week. In theory, it is clear that one click on the panel is faster than a combination of two keys or a cursor. But the habit turned out to be stronger.
It's probably also because we usually study pages by constantly scrolling from top to bottom using a swipe on the touchpad. And when it's at hand, there's no point in reaching for the Touch Bar to switch to another tab.
At the same time, I managed to train myself to use the “Search” icon to go to the address bar. A week later I press it “blindly”.
When you turn on any video (not Flash) in Safari, a scroll bar appears on the Touch Bar
The behavior of the Touch Bar when working with forms on websites is interesting. The panel displays native text editing functions supported by the browser. If the site developers have not prohibited their use, then when writing text you can customize its appearance using the Touch Bar as you wish.
For example, on VKontakte, I was able to write a note on my wall in pink, added a numbered list and aligned it to the right (when saving the note, the site, of course, cleaned up all the styles).
The whole idea with the Touch Bar could have been started at least for the sake of Emoji support. Finally, sending an emoji from your computer has become as easy as sending it from your iPhone.
Touch Bar support
Apple is well prepared for the launch of the Touch Bar - it is integrated into almost all Apple applications. For example, when taking a screenshot, you can choose the type and location where to save it. Even in Terminal, you can use the panel to change the color of the working window.
Terminal
There is even support in the calculator
In the calendar, you can search for the desired month using the drum on the Touch Bar
Touch Bar is also available to third-party developers. However, so far few have managed to adapt their application to the new Macbook Pro. Touch Bar support is coming to Sketch and Photoshop. It is likely that third-party developers will come up with new ways to interact with the panel.
For example, Telegram could integrate a display of recently used stickers and a list of available commands for bots into the Touch Bar. Adobe developers could save users from memorizing complex keyboard shortcuts like Command + Option + X. Sublime could add save buttons and change syntax. And so on.
Product Hunt has a list of apps that already support the Macbook Pro Touch Bar.
For future Pros
Touch Bar makes working on your laptop easier and gives everyone access to productivity tools. Because of this, Apple is criticized - why then did they keep the Pro prefix in the name?
Most likely, it is addressed to generation Z. For them, a laptop is not the first computer device in their life. First they got a smartphone or tablet, and only then a computer. It's harder to teach them to use complex keyboard shortcuts. The touch interface like on the iPad is more familiar to them than the “Menu” - “Settings” scheme.
Therefore, the new Macbook Pro causes skepticism among those over 25, since the laptop goes against many years of habits. Generation Y will have to either adapt to new realities, or continue to use shortcuts, turning a blind eye to the Touch Bar (this is also possible). At least until Apple gets rid of Control, Option and Command, and replaces Fn with a key to switch the language.
Nikolay Davydovfounder of Gagarin Capital
For several weeks now I have been using the new Macbook Pro 15" in its most sophisticated configuration. I must admit that over the past few years the way I use my work laptop has completely changed.
If before I constantly carried a computer with me and leaving the house without it was about the same as forgetting my phone at home, then I had a protracted period of relationship with the iPad mini, but now a Macbook can easily lie on the shelf for several days.
Partly because of this, I still haven’t gotten used to the new keyboard, although I’ll definitely get used to it - it’s not that bad. Apple is very sensitive to such changes in the use of their products, sees the problems that the Macbook Pro solves and changes the product accordingly.
I get the feeling that in their paradigm, a new MacBook Pro - either standing on a desk in the office, connected by wires, or used as an iPad - is put on charge overnight, and in the morning is put in a briefcase (without charging) and carried with you. But let's take things in order.
1. Design. As usual, Apple made a laconic, stylish and complete device. The apple on the back no longer glows, but that's the only thing that upsets me about the design. Ergonomics, as usual, are excellent; the enlarged trackpad works very well, which, by the way, does not react at all to hands resting on it while typing.
2. Performance. I haven’t tried running BootCamp Windows on this laptop yet and launching new games, but for some reason its performance is beyond doubt. Although it is difficult to expect poor performance from a laptop for three and a half thousand dollars.
3.Touch Bar. At first I thought he was handsome. Using it to control basic functions is as easy as using buttons; you don’t even notice the absence of the Escape button, you’re just a little surprised every time you blindly press Esc, and there’s cold glass under your finger. Then it turned out to be useless to me. In fact, why do I need such an investment in technology and materials if I type touch-type, don’t look at the keyboard at all, and in order to use the Touch Bar you have to look at it.
Moreover, in my favorite working position (lying on the bed), the Touch Bar is not visible at all behind my hands on the keyboard and I have to lift the laptop to look at it.
Finally, I started to notice nice little things. You open the series on the plane, and a “subtitles” button has thoughtfully appeared on the touchbar. You open Photos, and the Touch Bar already has the necessary features that you don’t even remember where they were in the menu.
Verdict - a toy, but a pleasant one. For those who are not very fast typists (or for some reason try to type text while standing on one leg and holding a laptop), even the word suggestion function will be useful, as when typing on an iPhone.
4. Screen. Innovations in monitors have become such that they are no longer visible to the human eye. It is noticeable that the screen has improved. It has less glare, there is no color distortion at all, it is brighter.
5. Keyboard. The keyboard on a Macbook is one of the most important advantages of laptops from this brand for me. I always really liked typing on them and I even bought a Mac keyboard for my desktop computer so that I could have the same feeling when typing.
The new keyboard is annoying at first. Everything about it infuriates you - different key strokes, loud sound, until you get used to typing more quietly. If you type like the old one, it makes a pretty loud noise. If you barely press the buttons, you can only hear how the membrane works.
Then you get used to it and it becomes clear that it will only get better. In fact, this is a very good and very high quality keyboard. She's just different.
6. Ports. This is what spoils almost the entire impression and infuriates me every time I stumble on it. This starts within a minute after unpacking the laptop. Do you want to transfer information from your old MacBook? Connect via Thunderbolt? Oh, sorry, I don't have an adapter, I'll have to buy one. Buy new laptop chargers? Okay, let's throw away a lot more money, to hell with you. Does your laptop fall to the floor because your dog gets caught in the charging cord? Okay, quietly hissing, let's buy Apple Care for another $400. Do you want to charge your iPhone from your laptop on the go? Boiling like a kettle, we take out a separate USB-C to Lightning cable. Do we want to use any of the expensive Thunderbolt devices we purchased earlier? Another adapter. Card reader? Well, you understand me.
And here is the apotheosis of idiocy. The apogee of corporate stupidity and yet another reason to believe that Apple is inevitably turning into the Microsoft of 2012. So I bought new iPhone 7. I want to plug headphones into it - I use an adapter. Now I bought a Macbook Pro. I want to plug in the headphones that are in my pocket. The same headphones from the iPhone 7. But they have a Lightning port. Oh, but the laptop doesn’t have this, there are 4 identical USB-C and a regular Jack for headphones.
Maybe there is a reverse adapter - lightning to jack? But no, Apple didn’t do that. That is, it is physically impossible to connect headphones from an iPhone to a laptop. Solution - the headphones go into the trash, the usual ones are used, and another permanent adapter appears in the bag.
I deliberately ended the review on this note. Because it poisons use and constantly makes itself felt. This aftertaste, the aftertaste, will probably never leave you, and neither perfect hardware nor a wonderful OS will save your laptop. You will still have that bitter taste of disappointment in your mouth. The perfect Macbook no longer exists.
Nikita GukPR Director at Pixonic
At first I was afraid that I would have to suffer because of the huge number of adapters (in the end it could not have been done without it), but everything turned out to be not so scary. Objectively, I haven’t used USB devices lately, so the loss of connectors was not so noticeable. And in general, it’s time to move on, and people always have to be transferred harshly to new connectors.
On the good side, the second generation of the Butterfly mechanism is much better and it’s difficult to go back. Typing is more convenient than on the previous generation of firmware - the stroke is much less, but tactile feedback is preserved, which was lacking in the same Macbook. When you sit down at an old laptop, you can’t help but feel, due to the recoil, that you are pressing on some kind of rubberized sponge.
Touch Bar still feels more like an advertising device, but there are a couple of cases of convenient use. In general, how to work with it, a lot depends on the developers - Pixelmator, AirMail, Spark and others have already added support, and all native applications also support advanced control.
Well, the battery life was disappointing, it was reduced by a couple of hours, and this is especially noticeable if the laptop is heavily loaded. The device turned out to be quite good, but an adapter from UBS-C to USB should have been included in the kit.
Nikolay Zakharovapplication developer
My first experience with the new Macbook Pro was positive. Switched to it from a 13"" Macbook Pro 2012. I really like the new screen - it's rich and bright. Compared to the previous model, it is a big improvement.
Even after him iPhone screen seems dull. The laptop is in a top configuration, the system is clean, so everything works. The time to build projects in XCode has decreased by 1.5-2 times due to the new SSD and processor. Installed Dota - there are no stutters at the maximum quality of the game. The cooling fans turn on, but they are almost inaudible.
The keyboard leaves a mixed feeling - you need to get used to it. Very short stroke and a bit noisy. I immediately had to buy a USB-C - Lighting cable and a USB-C - USB adapter, while Apple has them at a discount until the New Year.
The main positive surprise is the very high-quality sound, you can feel the richness and it’s very pleasant to listen to music or watch a movie.
The main disappointment is the battery, which in normal operating mode lasts about five hours, and not the promised 10. I hope this will be corrected programmatically in future versions of macOS.
Secondly, the Touch Bar is not very convenient. The buttons on it are constantly accidentally pressed if you reach for the number keys. The central part of the panel is freed up for buttons for a specific application.
If an app doesn't yet support the Touch Bar, the space remains empty and the system buttons collapse to the right into a compact mode. I think this needs some work if there are no buttons - I would like to use the entire length of the Touch Bar for system buttons.
You can't log in using Touch ID after a reboot. You can only confirm changes to the system while running. The laptop itself is light and compact for 15"". Block charger got a little heavier, which is unpleasant.
Apple is criticized for lack of innovation, Apple is criticized for innovation... Well, the absolute success that has haunted the company for many years must have some drawbacks. Close attention from the public, including critics who, as they say, are “always ready” is one of them.
And yet, the Apple giant lives under a lucky star and the company magically manages to present even its mistakes (and, whatever one may say - oh, horror - they happen to Apple) with such confidence in its rightness that you involuntarily think - maybe it’s really better this way? However, the American company owes its success not only to luck and the ability to present itself. Add to the above points - advanced hardware, perfect design, stable operating systems... and, of course, the notorious innovations and... you get the magic of Apple.
However, the magic does not apply to everyone. Truly, you can either love or hate this company. And since it’s difficult to find fault with the hardware, design and platforms, critics cling to innovation or the lack thereof. If Apple's innovations are secondary and/or are in some way a variation of competitors' innovations, critics say - “Well, that already happened,” “Too small,” “Apple is not the same anymore,” etc. Well, in the case when an innovation is uniquely declared - “Well, this is so unusual! How inconvenient, ah-ah!” Agree, there is not enough objectivity in such assessments. No, of course, innovations are unusual, this is their essence in general, another question is - what is the sign of this unusual?
In this review, we will try to understand this issue regarding the latest of Apple’s unique innovations - the Touch Bar on the Macbook Pro. Well, we’ll also talk about other characteristics of the laptop.
Since TouchBar is a completely new thing, you'll have to start from the very beginning. What is it and why is it needed...
Concept
Look at the top row of your keyboard. What's there? Basically, keys that the average user uses extremely rarely (well, unless he masters the art of “hot” combinations). And so Apple engineers decided - damn it, why do we need a whole row of unnecessary keys and removed it.
How was it removed? At all? No, of course, instead of the practically unpressable F1-F12, Page U, Page Down, etc., which usually occupy the top row of the keyboard, they created a thing called Touch Bar, designed to rethink computer control.
But this is logical!
However, Apple is saying to rethink it, and we would say to finally make the controls logical. Open any program. For example, Word and start working in it. You've typed some text and now you want to format it. All formatting tools are located at the top of the document, and to “poke” one of them, you point your hand down and find the trackpad, now using it to control the cursor, the hand again “goes” up and, finally, clicks the desired tool.
So what happens? You need the tool on top, but your hand goes down to the trackpad first and then up. Logical? No, not really. Everyone is just used to this scheme.
Now imagine you have a Macbook Pro with Touch Bar. To edit text, you can, of course, use the above-described scheme, because the trackpad has not been canceled. Or you can act more logically. You need a tool on top, and you move your hand up to the touch bar and through it select what you need. And here’s the paradox - it’s so logical, but the force of habit says the opposite.
What is it?
Well, now, actually, about the main thing, what the Touch Bar is and how to control it.
The Touch Bar is a “piece” of the touchpad - narrow and long - it takes up about the same amount of space as the top row of keyboard buttons. How to manage it? Well, of course, “poke” your finger like on any touch panel.
When you turn on your Macbook on the Touch Bar, you will see the inscription “Unlock with Touch ID” and an arrow to the right, pointing to the button that has a built-in fingerprint scanner (we’ll talk about it in more detail below). After unlocking, the panel will transform - the Esc button will appear on the left, a group of brightness and volume controls on the right, a Siri shortcut key, as well as a small arrow, tapping on which will provide access to other classic mac OS functions.
If you go into applications, the Touch Bar will be supplemented with new options - they are distributed between Esc and other controls. When editing text in Pages or Word, you will see buttons that allow you to make the text bold, underline, enter numbering, and highlight a fragment with color; and if you go to Safari, the Touch Bar will allow you to quickly switch between tabs, access the address bar, and go to frequently visited sites. Not only that, but the panel will change depending on the content you're working with—for example, when playing a video, the Touch Bar can be used to rewind, for example.
However, such “goodies” await the user only when working with applications adapted from the touch bar, and there are still few of them. If the developer has not yet implemented support for this Apple innovation, then when working with his program on the Touch Bar, only the classic options that we mentioned above will be displayed - sound adjustment, Esc, etc.
Setting details
The location of the classic options is adjustable. If you want to change something on the panel, you need to go to the “Settings” menu, then select “Keyboard” and - voila! You will have enormous possibilities for personalizing the Touch Bar! In just one click you can add the desired button or remove an unnecessary one.
Customization of Touch Bar capabilities within applications is also supported. But you need to look for the corresponding item in the application menu. For example, in Safari you need to click “View”, then “Customize Touch Bar”.
User experience: do you get used to good things quickly?
So, at first glance, you will agree that the Touch Bar looks like a very useful thing. And, I must say, users of Apple laptops have previously noted that thanks to the trackpad’s support for multi-touch gestures, they practically do not remember the mouse. What will they say now that the Touch Bar has appeared and further reduced the need to interact with the mouse?
There is no clear opinion here. Owners of Macbooks with Touch Bar are divided into two camps. In the first, everyone is happy, happy about the progress and exploring the possibilities with all their might. new feature quickly achieving positive results. The second one is buzzing about how uncomfortable things have become. However, in our opinion, this is only a matter of attitude towards innovation in principle and an inquisitive mind.
Here is a very striking example. Volume control circuit. Previously, in order to quickly increase or decrease the sound, you had to press the corresponding button several times, but now the button has become a touch button and when you click on it, a special slider appears, which controls the sound level.
One journalist in his review wrote that this irritates him greatly, because where there used to be a couple of blind actions, it is now difficult to navigate blindly, because first you need to call the slider, then “catch” the current level and take it to the desired one side.
And here is another review and another journalist who decided what would happen if you press the adjustment button and hold your finger. But here's what - a slider will appear and you can control it without lifting your finger, simply moving it left or right. That is, there is only one movement, and it’s easy to do blindly. Eureka!
And, in fact, this one example can describe the entire concept and the entire perception of the Touch Bar. What’s important here is the attitude, the desire to develop along with progress, and if you’re on this wave, great, the Touch Bar will open up a lot of new opportunities for you. Otherwise, it's a shame, because the Touch Bar is an innovation that requires some effort. And if now you are unhappy with it (you never know, you first bought the device, and only then you decided to read a review of it), spend a couple of days actively mastering it and, most likely, you will change your anger to mercy.
What else is new?
Agree, it would be strange, having chatted a lot about the main innovation of the new Apple Macbook Pro laptop, not to say a word about its other innovations and parameters. So now let's talk about them.
All that glitters is not gold
Since the first Macbook, the design of Apple laptops has remained virtually unchanged. No, of course, some innovations were introduced, but in general the design initially turned out to be so successful that its main trump cards - an all-metal aluminum body in a noble gray color and a neat “apple” on the lid that glowed in the dark - remained unchanged all this time. But then a Macbook Pro with a Touch Bar appears and - oh, horror - the “apple” decreases in size and stops glowing. Why Apple deprived the new MacBook of such a nice feature is unclear, but the company’s fans were unanimously upset.
However, this is not the only change in the design of the new Macbook Pro - it was given a new mechanism for attaching the lid and screen, the locations of the speakers were changed - they are now located on the front panel, but the ventilation holes, on the contrary, moved to the back cover. Also, the body has become thinner and that’s impressive. The Pro-series was already very thin for its parameters, but now the hardware has been upgraded (more on that a little later) and the body has become even thinner. Bravo, Apple!
Butterflies in the stomach
Here's another great news - the keyboard and touchpad, which have always been comfortable on Macbooks, have become even more convenient.
As for the keyboard, the butterfly mechanism continues to improve, which Apple recently switched to in its laptops. The key travel is clear but short. It’s unusual at first, but after a couple of hours of the typing process you’ll begin to experience downright aesthetic pleasure. Fingers do not so much tap as they slide over the keyboard; text is typed with a “light movement of the hand” and much faster than on classic keyboards.
The touchpad, which was already huge, became even larger. Of course, it has become more convenient to work, which will be especially appreciated by those who often work in graphic editors. In short, Apple has put a lot of work into the controls on this Macbook!
Tar break
However, let's stop pouring honey for a minute - because it's time to discuss the Macbook Pro connectors with the Touch Bar.
Apple has never been particularly in favor of a large number of ports, but recently the desire to make fewer “holes” has turned into some kind of manic thought. The hero of our review has only four USB ports and one classic audio jack. All! For a laptop this is catastrophically small and in order to fully work with the peripherals you need to have a bunch of adapters. Inconvenient! And here everyone will agree - it’s better to have a “leaky” Macbook, but without a garden with adapters, than supposedly elegant, according to Apple, with a minimum of ports and the constant hassle of how to connect this or that device.
And you know what's the funniest thing? Let’s imagine that you have everything in order with your income, you own a Macbook Pro with a Touch Bar and the flagship Apple smartphone iPhone 7, which, as everyone remembers, was deprived of a standard audio jack. You listen to music on your iPhone from the headphones that came with your smartphone, but now you suddenly want to plug them into your laptop. Nothing will work! iPhone headphones 7 end with a Lightning connector, but the Macbook Pro with Touch Bar does not have this. And, yes, you understood everything correctly - there are either other headphones or an adapter! A curtain.
And again honey...
Well, unfortunately, Apple’s strange “port” policy can only, as they say, be understood and forgiven, because the company is not going to stray from the path of reducing connectors. On the contrary, it is worth preparing for the fact that every year there will be even fewer of them. Fortunately, there will be no more fly in the ointment, only good news.
Let's talk about the display... This is not the first time we have seen Macbook Pro Retina. However, a laptop with a Touch Bar doesn’t just have a super-sharp retina display; compared to previous indicators, the picture is basically improved on all fronts. The most important innovation is the expanded color gamut - the display now displays even more shades, which will certainly delight designers.
As for screen sizes, the hero of our review is presented in two Apple Macbook Pro models with Touch Bar 13 and 15 inches. Which one to buy is up to you, the Macbook Pro 13-inch Touch Bar is, of course, lighter and more compact, you can even carry it under your arm and it will be comfortable. However, with a 15-inch device there will be no hassle either, it just requires a slightly different approach. You can, for example, buy a case for a Macbook Pro 15-inch Touch Bar in the form of a case and put not only your laptop, but also all your documents there.
Faster than your thoughts...
Depending on the price, the user can get a Macbook Pro with Touch Bar with an i5 or i7 processor in different modifications, 8 or 16 GB of RAM and 128/256/512 GB or 1 TB of internal memory. However, rest assured, even with the simplest assembly, the laptop will simply fly. This is what Apple promises, this is what many review authors write and real users in your reviews.
This device is truly always ready for use - it comes out of standby mode in an instant. For example, you are at home, quietly having dinner, and suddenly a brilliant working concept has come into your head and you urgently need to formalize it, otherwise both the thought and the inspiration will go away. And so you run up to the Macbook, open it and that’s it - while you opened the lid, it’s already woken up and ready for quick work. And this is really cool! Any application launches instantly, no matter how heavy it is.
Now let's get back to Touch ID - we promised to talk about it when we talked about the Touch Bar. The hero of our review is the first Macbook with a fingerprint scanner. When you turn on the device for the first time, you are prompted to configure the scanner and then use it to unlock the laptop. There is nothing unusual here, everything is like on the iPhone and iPad - you can add several fingers, each one needs to be applied n number of times until the system completely counts and remembers the fingerprint. The scanner works clearly and quickly, no problems.
...and sometimes louder
Macbook Pro with Touch Bar sounds really cool. Even unexpectedly cool, so cool that I would like to advise manufacturers of “musical” laptops to take a master class from Apple engineers. There is volume, depth, and a gorgeous panoramic sound, which especially “plays” in instrumental and calm compositions. And it’s worth mentioning separately about the volume - its range is more than sufficient - enough to even anger your neighbors.
Will it last long?
And finally, another important point is autonomy. And this point is very controversial. On the one hand, Apple announced 10 hours of operation without recharging in office and entertainment mode. On the other hand, the battery capacity was reduced by 30% (!) compared to the previous model - something had to be sacrificed to make the case thinner. However, at the presentation it was noted that the reduction in capacity will be compensated by new energy saving technologies.
What's the reality? The authors of tests and reviews cannot come to a consensus, but in most cases the hero of our review does not last 10 hours, but he does not work less than 8 hours. And, whatever one may say, even this figure for an ultra-thin and super powerful laptop with a super clear screen is a very good figure.
Let's summarize: how much does a revolution cost for the people?
And now about the “bad” numbers - prices for Macbook Pro with Touch Bar. Of course, no one expects an Apple product to cost a budget, especially when it comes to the most sophisticated device in the laptop line.
The minimum configuration of a Macbook Pro with Touch Bar will cost 102,990 rubles (this is the price of the official website), the maximum configuration for Russia is 207,990 rubles. However, for some reason, a version with a terabyte drive is not available at the moment. So 207,990 is not the limit. And, yes, the Macbook Pro with Touch Bar is currently the most expensive Apple laptop, but the point here is not the innovative panel, or rather, not only it, but also the fact that the hero of our review, we emphasize again, today the newest and most advanced laptop from the Apple giant.
In general, you can talk a lot about the fact that Apple asks too much for its products, but if we can still argue about the company’s smartphones and tablets, then with the Macbook the situation is as simple as possible. Does Macbook Pro have any competitors? No. Even if we ignore the Touch Bar, you won’t find a model on the market that so successfully combines excellent design, advanced hardware, a magnificent screen and... the rest goes on the list.
However, within the framework of this review, it is important to answer not so much the question of whether it is worth buying a Macbook Pro, but rather whether it is worth buying a Macbook Pro with a Touch Bar. And here you need to take into account at least three features - the “apple” will no longer light up, the only ports at your disposal will be an audio jack and USB, and, of course, you will have a Touch Bar. Do you want to keep up with progress? Buy! Today everyone criticizes the Touch Bar, but tomorrow competitors will also have similar assistants. But if, nevertheless, you want to work the old fashioned way, take a closer look at other Macbook Pros that are officially on sale today on the Apple website - in model range There are devices that are only slightly inferior in hardware to the hero of our review.
It's now officially Apple's newest toy—and quite an expensive one, considering the $1,799 price tag for the entry model. Touchpad Touch Bar opens the door completely new world how we will interact with the MacBook when working on it. Developers get access to API codes and the panel will work flawlessly with third party applications. And of course, Apple developers have already taken care of deep integration of the touchpad with macOS Sierra, where it will definitely find great use.
Most importantly, the Touch Bar changes depending on what you're doing. When you use one application, you get one set of controls and, accordingly, when you use another application, you get a different set of controls. This is a very flexible system that instantly adapts to the user's needs.
Over time, developers will very soon dramatically increase the potential use of this panel. In the meantime, let's figure out how, here and now, we can use the Touch Bar in the MacBook Pro.
No. 1. Use the Touch ID scanner to make purchases with Apple Pay
A small bonus in the appearance of the Touch Bar in the MacBook Pro is the placement of a fingerprint scanner on it. At first glance, it looks like it's built into the touchpad, but it's actually part of the Power button, located on the very right side of the strip. This means that Macs finally have decent support for the Apple Pay service. If a webpage or app supports Apple Pay, you can simply tap your finger and make an online purchase.
No. 2. Edit photos
The Photos app, and perhaps other similar apps, can provide a convenient Touch Bar interface for photo editing. It not only provides instant options for making small changes like rotating a picture, but it also displays more advanced sliders for editing brightness or rotating the horizon of photos.
No. 3. Video editing
The Touch Bar brings further development to the control of playing video fragments, since now the entire video fragment is displayed on the panel in the form of icons. By moving your finger you can start viewing a fragment from any place. This option will likely work with video files hosted on your computer and with existing projects in iMovie/Final Cut Pro, but it would be great if in the future it would also be possible to do tricks like this on sites like YouTube.
No. 4. Switch between browser tabs
The Safari browser also received deep integration with the touchpad. When surfing the web, your bookmarks will appear as icons. With a light touch, you can switch from one tab to another without literally taking your hands off the keyboard instead of using the mouse for these purposes. To go to a new page, all your bookmarks are located right there, under your fingers.
#5. We use the Touch ID scanner to unlock your Mac and switch between accounts
The most practical use for the Touch ID scanner on the new MacBook Pro is switching between user accounts on the computer, as Phil Schiller demonstrated at the presentation. If your computer has multiple user accounts, then all you need to do to switch to the appropriate profile for other users is just to put your finger on the scanner and macOS will identify the user and switch to the appropriate profile. In the same capacity, the scanner can be used to instantly unlock your computer, which will allow you to continue working on it from where you left off for a break.
No. 6. Develops creativity
An Adobe representative has teased the possibilities of what the Touch Bar in Photoshop will be capable of in the very near future. You can change the brush size on the fly, view the entire color range and select the desired color for the brush, and much more. Another plus is the fact that the Touch Bar allows you to add shortcuts to the panel for the most frequently used actions, which are usually deeply hidden in the commands and settings menu.
No. 7. View and send emoticons
The real question is: would the Touch Bar exist if there wasn't a need to invent a super way to add emoji? All jokes aside, the ability to view emojis on the keyboard sounds great. This method is more intuitive than scrolling through and selecting emoji icons using the mouse. You can expand any category of emoticons, select the appropriate one and send it with a simple touch of your finger.
No. 8. Edit and view Keynote slides
The Touch Bar makes it easier to work with any text-based application, including Keynote. But in addition, the Keynote app lets you swipe and view your slides. In a long list of slides, you can scroll through the icons and switch between them.
No. 9. Add live effects to your music
Music apps like GarageBand provide tools for managing your music right on the Touch Bar. If you participated in the creation of musical compositions, then you will definitely like this. Not only will you be able to edit your projects using menu options, but as demonstrated by DJ Algoriddim at the presentation, it will be possible to add live effects. While music is playing, you can change the sound in real time and add effects directly from the Touch Bar, just like DJs usually do.
#10. Change operating system settings
Last but not least, you, of course, have the opportunity to change system settings and gain access to so familiar buttons. Such as volume level, playback control buttons, display brightness and keyboard lighting control buttons, and of course, the favorite ESC button.
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